The evaluation of business seminars for youth

23 July, 2010

Between the 5th-16th of July a series of seminars in business were held at the Community and Training Center in the village of Antonești. The beneficiaries were 20 young persons ready to develop their own business in rural areas. The seminar lessons included an overview of the field of business knowledge.  Instruction was given to help the young people  to know how to prepare  a business plan, as well as, how to submit their business idea for financing or crediting. This project was financed by the Government of the Republic of Moldova within the program of PNAET (National Program of the Youth Economic Empowerment). The seminar trainers were representatives of the regional administration as well as experts from the Trade and Industrial Chamber of the Republic of Moldova and The Organization for Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Development (ODIMM).

As a result of this training more young people will develop their own business ideas which they will submit for financing within the program of PNAET. They will receive consultancy within  the Community and Training Center in Antonești as well from ”COMMUNITAS” partners.

Business seminars for youth

11 june, 2010

The Organization for Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Development (ODIMM) in collaboration with “COMMUNITAS” Association will organize training for youth aged between 18-30 years. The training will take place within the Community and Training Center in the county of Ștefan-Vodă, village of Antonești.

The training takes place within the National Program of the Youth Economic Empowerment (PNAET). The program  aims to empower youth who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Equipping them to launch or extend their own business in rural areas in the field of agriculture or production, thus opening the way for new jobs.

The program comprises 3 components of implementation:

Part I: ”Training and consultation in the field of entrepreneurship” (the implementation - ODIMM).

Part II: ”Access to loans up to 300,000 lei” (reimbursement period being a maximum of 5 years) with a grant element of 40% of the total sum.

Part III: ” Post-financing monitoring” (DLC).

The results of the Computer Training and Internet Classroom project

1 September, 2009

On 1st of September 2009, the Computer Training and Internet Classroom project co-financed by the Democracy Commission Small Grant Program of the USA Embassy in Chișinău expired. The project which began on 1st of September 2008 was successfully implemented in the village of Antonești at the Community and Training Center of “COMMUNITAS” Association.
During the past year, “COMMUNITAS” Association, in collaboration with other organizations has held 33 seminars and training seminars in different fields, e.g. IT, Business Administration and Farming. The total number of beneficiaries at these activities was 60, drawn from different social categories such as pupils, teachers, businessman, farmers, etc. According to surveys conducted after these activities among the participants, the seminars contributed very much to the improvement of their knowledge of IT and will improve efficiency in their work as well as in their personal development. After the business seminars were completed in February-March 2009, 3 of the participants opened new businesses in Antonești, creating 10 new jobs. According to their testimony, “COMMUNITAS” Association was very helpful, both with advice and seminars organized for business people.
Besides the planned activities of the project, the Computer Training and Internet Classroom is offering daily internet services, as well as printing, scanning and copying services, making a significant impact in the community. Even if some clients don’t know how to use internet, the computer class operator gives the necessary assistance.  Skype communication (which the computer class offers with assistance included) has also made a very big impact on the community, because it is less expensive than conventional telecommunications.
The latest number of Beneficiaries registered for our Computer Class services is 380, which represents 13% of the village population. Including the numbers involved in other activities, the total number of project beneficiaries was 440, which represents 15% of the village population.
With these results, “COMMUNITAS” Association has been enabled to develop future plans for other projects for the education and development of the communities where the organization is active. For this reason the association is preparing to implement a project linked with protection of social-economic rights, freedom of access to information, seminars on business and project administration, business consulting and business development, etc.

A collaborative partnership with the Dutch company, Calendula Oil

24 aprilie, 2009

Recently, volunteers serving in the United States Peace Corps in Moldova, have established a collaborative partnership between AO “COMMUNTIAS” and the Dutch company Calendula Oil. Calendula-Oil specializes in purchasing special hybrid Marigold seeds (Calendula Officinalis).  After purchasing the seeds they extract the oil from them to be used to produce paint that is of higher quality and better for the environment then other types.
This collaboration has the possibility of greatly benefitting farmers in Moldova.  This benefit comes in the form of purchase contracts.  The company Calendula oil will set a price at the start of the year stating the cost of the sowing seeds and the price they will pay for the harvested seed at the end of the growing season.  The farmer will know before he puts the seeds in the ground what the price/kg will be at the end of the season better preparing him for a cost/revenue evaluation.  The seeds will be processed in Moldova at an extraction facility then exported to Germany. For Calendula-Oil, Moldova promises rich soil and a potential market for growing possibly thousands of hectares in the future with out the competition of subsidies that the Western country’s governments places on competitive crops such as wheat and corn.
According to several farmers in Moldova, this form of collaboration achieved through AO “COMMUNITAS” is of major importance to their agricultural activity, as it opens a new market, and offers a diversification of agricultural production in Moldova.  Crop rotation is another big advantage for growers of Calendula as it is rotated well with wheat, corn, and barley.  We hope to see these advantages first hand this year from 6 farmers who have offered to plant small lots of Marigolds.  The goal is also to teach the farmers the techniques of growing this special type of flower and promote their success to other interested growers.
Within this partnership, AO “COMMUNITAS” will be responsible for consulting, training and supervising the experiment with planting marigold seeds for the 6 demonstration plots. The experiment is held with parameters that the plots need to be spread out throughout the country.  There will 2 plots in the southern region, 2 in the central and 2 in the north of Moldova.

The first stage of this experiment has already been completed with the sowing of these lots, which was concluded on April 22 this year.

Conclusion of the Spring Business Seminars

10 March, 2009

Last week the COMMUNITAS Association concluded the business seminars that were held from February 7 until 7th of March 2009 within the Training Center in Antonesti. At this series of seminars  around 30 farmers and people from the County of Ştefan-Vodă that would like to start or develop a business took part. According to the participants, these seminars were beneficial  by informing and encouraging them to develop their business.  At the end of the year COMMUNITAS Association will calculate the number of businesses that were initiated or developed in the County of Stefan-Voda by the seminar participants.

In the future, within the Training Center in Antonesti  seminars  in computer knowledge will continue.  More people like farmers will join those who already participated at the previous business seminars.

Seminars in Business Administration

9 February, 2009

This past Saturday, a series of business seminars were launched and they will last until the middle of March. The objectives of this training are to help potential business people start a business and to teach general knowledge about entrepreneurship.
About 18 people participate in these seminars.  They are mostly small farmers from the village of Antoneşti and other surrounding areas who are interested in starting a business.  For this reason, COMMUNITAS is holding these seminars in collaboration with US Embassy in Chişinău, Peace Corps volunteers, experienced businessmen, and experts using the facilities of the Community and Training Center in Antonesti.
Meanwhile, the seminars on computer knowledge were started with a new group of pupils this past Friday.

Preparing for the Seminars in Business Administration

2 February, 2009

The COMMUNITAS Association in collaboration with Peace Corps in Moldova and US Embassy in Moldova are organizing each Saturday from 7th of February till 14th of March, seminars in Business Administration at the Community and Training Center in Antoneşti. To these seminars we have invited 20 farmers and people from the region who have the potential to start a small business’s. This series of seminars will have 6 modules which will include aspects of management, legislation, marketing, business planing, taxes, accounting etc.
At  the same time, the seminars in computer skills will  continue with  two new groups  being formed, one for farmers and the second for pupils from the village school.

General Assembly of the Coalition for Rural Economic Development

27 January, 2009

On the 23rd of January, 2009, at the Institute of Labor there took place the General Assembly of the Coalition for Rural Economic Development (CRED).  COMMUNITAS Association joined CRED  on the 18th of November, 2008. The main goal of CRED is to contribute to the improvement of the legal framework that regulates the economic activity in rural areas. At this event  42 representatives of  member organizations took part. During the Assembly activity reports of the Coalition Work Groups were presented.
The activity report for the Work Group Nr. I “The promotion of the competitiveness in agriculture (subsidization and investment attraction in rural areas) and foreign trade with agricultural products” was presented by Mr. Viorel Chivrigă of  IDIS “Viitorul”.  This report presented the Coalition manifest elaborated by this group, the manifest will be handed to all the authorities involved, with the aim to encourage them to work together, in so doing avoiding the barriers facing the farmers and agricultural products foreign traders.
The report of the Work Group Nr. II “The improvement of the legal framework for the development of the small and middle sized farmers and the retirements in agriculture” was presented by Mrs. Aurelia Bondar of the  “AGROinform” Federation.
The activity report of the Work Croup Nr. III “Sustainable Agriculture”, was presented by Mr. Vitalie Cimpoieş of the Association CUTEZĂTORUL.
The fourth report “The development of the managment capacity of CRED members” was presented by Serghei Neicovcen, CONTACT Center responsable for  Coalition Secretarial.
The General Assambly of CRED has adopted two priorities that it  will promote in 2009 reducing its activity to two Work Groups:
I.    “The promotion of the competitiveness in agriculture (subsidization and investment attraction in rural areas) and foreign trade with agricultural products”;
II.    “The improvement of the legal framework for the development of the small and middle sized farmers and the retirements in agriculture”
COMMUNITAS Association is part of the first Work Group which is lead by the Co-president of the Coalition, Mr. Viorel Chivirigă.

Training in IT knowledge continues

27 October, 2008

Our first IT knowledge lessons was held on the 25th of October. At this seminar farmers and teachers were trained in computer knowledge. Due to the large interest of people from Antonesti with the desire to improve their knowledge on computers, “COMMUNITAS” Association  is forming two more groups.  This will allow for a total of 3 group lessons to be held during the period of  the”Computer Training and Internet Classroom” project.

Training in IT knowledge

6 October, 2008

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COMMUNITAS Association has begun training in IT knowledge with “Linux” within the Computer Training and Internet Classroom project in Antonesti. The first training in this field took place on 4th of October, held by trainers from ScriptTehInfo School. This seminar was attended by 9 people, most of them were teachers or farmers.

These training comprise more lessons that will last for the whole period of the project until 1st of September 2009. At this seminar was taught the first lessons: Basic elements of operation in “Linux” and the basic elements of operation in “Open Office”.
The lessons will continue for two weeks, then the “Open Office” program will be taught in greater depth. Now the Association is working on forming new groups, of teenagers, youth, as well as farmers so that they too can benefit from these integrated courses.

The launching of Community and Training Center and Computer and Internet Classroom project in Antoneşti

24 September, 2008

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On the 19th of September this year “COMMUNITAS” Association launched the Community and Training Center for Antoneşti. The building had been renovated with finance from a foundation in  Idaho USA via “Janz Team” UK. The Center is the first daughter of the Association.  Also on this occasion the first project of this Center, the Computer Training and Internet Classroom, has been launched which is co-financed by Embassy of the United States in Moldova and “Janz Team” UK.

The Center as well as its first project are especially oriented towards informing the population in order to create a transparent, democratic and sustainable community. Another goal of the Center is to contribute to knowledge and technology transfers in order to facilitate the development of small and middle sized businesses and those bound with IT skills.

At the opening ceremony speeches were given by the Executive Director of the “COMMUNITAS” Association, Igor Prisac, Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the United States in Moldova, John Balian, the Center Administrator, Andrei Malancea, as well as other important persons from Antoneşti.  Other people present at this event were persons from different social groups. The villagers showed a big interest after the Center and the Computer Class were presented and many of them were asking to be registered to participate at IT seminars.

The ceremony ended with a small reception where the villagers expressed different views for a possible co-working with the Community and Training Center, as well as how the villagers could collaborate to change the situation of the village in a better direction.

The Center will cooperate in the future with an ACSA representative in Antoneşti, Mrs. Margareta Solomiţki, and immediately after the opening ceremony the farmers from the village benefiting from good medium with the Computer Training and Internet Classroom had their first meeting.

The guests and the villagers who attended the opening ceremony for the first part of the Center and the Computer Classroom believe it’s a bountiful beginning that brings new hopes for the population from the region. This event has also encouraged many more villagers to take an initiative position and to collaborate in achieving the wellbeing in Antoneşti and in surrounding areas.

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Preparing for launching the Community and Training Center projects in Antoneşti

11 September, 2008

“COMMUNITAS” Association is organizing and preparing the opening ceremony of the first part of Community and Training Center from the village Antoneşti , as well as the launch of the “Computer Training and Internet Classroom” project co-financed by the USA Embassy in Chisinau and “Janz Team” UK. The opening ceremony will take place on 19th of September at 15:00. At this event are invited representatives from the US Embassy in Chisinau as well as representatives from the Town Hall, entrepreneurship,  and key persons from the village Antoneşti .

Preparation of the “COMMUNITAS” Community and Training Center Team

10 December, 2007

On November 5-7, 2007, the “COMMUNITAS” Association attended a Team Building, Time Management and Project Management seminar. The “COMMUNITAS” personnel who will be directly involved in the Community and Training Center’s activities in the village of Antoneşti were invited. Thus, the first step was taken in educating those who will coordinate projects such as a computer classroom, small and medium sized business development as well as other social and charitable projects that the “COMMUNITAS” Association intends to implement in the South-Eastern zone of the Republic of Moldova.

Trainers from the organization AIESEC Moldova, which has experience in holding trainings on the national and international level in the sphere of socio-economic development, provided the trainings.

As a result of the training, the “COMMUNITAS” team which will be implicated in reaching the association’s goals was solidified. A vision and work strategy for the Training and Community Center team was created, which in fact will strengthen the organization’s activities. In addition, the participants’ knowledge gained in the areas of project design and administration at the seminar will facilitate the elaboration and implementation of projects geared towards community development, which is one of the main goals of the “COMMUNITAS” Association.

Taekwon-Do Presentation in Antoneşti village

On the 28th of October, a Taekwon-Do demonstration has taken place in the village of Antoneşti at the Cultural Center. This sports program was organized by the National Federation of Taekwon-Do (uite -te aici e o gresala in varianta romana) in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Antoneºşti, the “Harul Mîntuirii” Church, and the “Communitas” Association. The presentation also had the scope of initiating and implicating youth in the sport of Taekwon-Do, which is a martial art that contributes to participants’ discipline, health and spirituality based on Christian values.

“Diesel Engine Conversion to Biofuel” Seminar

On May 21-28, 2007 in the village of Ţînţăreni, Anenii-Noi District, a seminar with the theme “Diesel Engine Conversion to Biofuel” took place at the “Filadelfia” Center. Twelve farmers from different places in the Republic of Moldova who were interested in the promotion of biofuel took part in this seminar.

An American expert in the field, Beau Miller, was invited by the “COMMUNITAS” Association and an American businessman, Michael Beer, to lead the seminar.

The basic principles of engine conversion to biodiesel were explained and demonstrated on a practical level at this seminar. Two diesel engines, a MTZ-82 tractor engine and a Volkswagen Golf 1 automobile engine, were converted to show how these engines function with biofuel and for the process of engine conversion to be clearer for those interested.

Book about the Old History of the Village of Antoneşti is Launched

On April 30, 2007, the book entitled The Village of Antoneşti in Historical Documents and Old Books, which describes the old history of the village of Antoneşti, Ştefan-Vodă District, was launched at the “Mihai Eminescu” Theoretical High School. For the first time in a single book, the history of this location is presented. The history was researched in the archives and museums in the republic by doctoral candidate of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Igor Prisac, a native of Antoneşti. One thousand copies of this work were printed in order to offer each family from the village the opportunity to have this kind of book.

The scope of the author, Mr. Prisac, in writing this work was to inform the location about its historical past; to solidify the cultural, historical, and spiritual identify of the location; and to awaken the residents of the location to a larger passion for this village.

According to village residents, this work could play a large role in consolidating knowledge about the history of Antoneşti, in history and Romanian literature lectures for high school students in the village, in the promotion of the location’s image, and could motivate other residents to continue to develop the historiography, culture and spirituality of the location.

Those interested in purchasing this book should call (22) 54 26 73 or (242) 48 2 97.

Pasta Producing Business in the Village of Antoneşti

For four years in a row, the Malancea family from the village of Antoneşti has run a successful pasta making business based on a mini-factory. The business was initiated in 2002 in order to provide residents of the Ştefan-Vodă District with pasta products.

The number of consumers grows each year because they are very satisfied with the quality of the product; they continue to request the services of the mini-factory. As a result, the mini-factory is visited each day by an average of seven to ten clients. According to the beneficiaries of this pasta producing business, the mini-factory has had a positive impact on the food situation in the district by increasing the affordable food supply and brings a strong economical benefit to the region.

At the moment, the production capacity of the mini-factory is a minimum of 60 kg of pasta per day. But, due to the increasing requests and the assistance of the “COMMUNITAS” Association, the business will expand its location, number of employees and the quantity of its production in order to meet the growing demands. Thus, this mini-factory will maintain its contribution to the development of the food supply and will provide new places of work in the Ştefan-Vodă District.